Chef notes
Endives are great for salads, but for this one pot wonder, chef Ryan Scott braises them with chicken in bacon drippings. Caramelizing thyme makes the dish especially fragrant.
This is such a universal recipe that you can also add olives or capers, or switch up the herbs and use cilantro and tomatoes to make it Mediterranean. It's a very fun recipe to play around with.
Because this is such a simple dish, serve it with a green salad and microwave rice or instant couscous to make a complete easy meal any day of the week.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup bacon, diced
- 9 skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1½ cups flour
- 3 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
- 6 red endives, ends trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed, caps quartered
- 2 cups Chardonnay wine
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1 dash Tabasco
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, minced
- 2 lemons, quartered for garnish
Preparation
1.Heat oil in a large sauce pan. Add diced bacon and fry until crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer crispy bacon to a plate with a paper towel to drain oil. Drain off and reserve all oil and drippings from the bacon.
2.Pat chicken dry. Mix the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, Old Bay and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a shallow casserole dish. Coat each piece of chicken in dredge on both sides. Reheat pan to medium high with about 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings (if there is not enough drippings use more olive oil). Add enough pieces of chicken to pot to not overcrowd the pan. Cook about 2½ minutes each side or until chicken is browned and crispy. Repeat procedure until all chicken is done. Once chicken is done, clean bottom of pan with bottom of spatula with all chicken pieces.
3.In the same pot you were cooking in on medium high heat, add endives, fresh chopped thyme and a touch of bacon drippings and cook until browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove endives and thyme and set aside on plate. Add onions, mushrooms, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper to pot and cook stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their juices, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add wine, fresh lemon juice and a dash of Tabasco, then increase heat to medium high, and bring to boil.
4.Nestle chicken into the pot and scatter with endives and thyme. Cover pot, reduce heat to simmer and cook about 20 to 25 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Divide chicken and sauce among individual plate, sprinkle with reserved bacon, and minced parsley. Serve with fresh lemon wedges and a garden salad.
